Star Crossed Lovers
by RobertDogwood
Summary: This was to be my attempt to write a tasteful R rated romance between Squall and Rinoa. The story had a mind of it's own and made itself a dark drama, action and romance. Warning: Intended for mature, open-minded readers due to some sexual content.
1. Default Chapter

Star Crossed Lovers

A Final Fantasy VIII Fan Fic

By RobertDogwood@aol.com

Graciously Edited by Vick330

FF VIII characters and locations owned by SquareSoft.

Original plot Copyright RobertDogwood and Vick330 2002

Rated R for sexual content, language and violence

This was to be my attempt to write a tasteful R rated romance between Squall and Rinoa. The story had a mind of it's own and made itself a dark drama, action and romance. Warning: Intended for mature, open-minded readers due to some sexual content.

Chapter One  
Too Much, Too Soon...

The Garden celebration party, which was held to praise the young SeeDs - who thwarted Sorceress Ultimecia's plan to annihilate the world through time compression - was still going strong, despite the lateness of the hour.

Irvine was pointing Selphie's video camera at every attractive young woman in the room; every one except for an angry Selphie and her cohort Quistis, who were quickly walking away from him.

Out on one of the Garden's balconies, Rinoa looked at the beautiful star-studded night sky. She spotted a shooting star, turned, and offered a glorious smile to the man beside her. They had been through so much, so much fighting, and so much hardship. Her heart filled with joy at having him there, after almost losing him. Playfully, she pointed the forefinger of the right hand towards the sky-traveler.

Squall smiled back. It was a gentle, honest smile, and yet it held so much meaning. He felt drawn to this beautiful woman, and took her in his strong arms, in which she gratefully nestled. He leaned down and kissed her softly, then passionately as she eagerly responded while the Garden continued to fly on in the night sky.

Rinoa pulled her head back and whispered, "Come with me." Grasping Squall's hand, she led him from the balcony and across the ball room floor.

As the winsome couple passed through the crowd of students, SeeDs and instructors, people called out greetings and other forms of congratulations, to which Rinoa waved her free hand in acknowledgement while Squall stared silently ahead like the true stoic he was. He hated these kind of parties with a passion.

Squall didn't have a false bone in his body and he loathed having to act as if he loved everyone, when he didn't know most of them and didn't care to either.

Finally reaching the row of doors which led from the ballroom to the rest of the Garden, both Rinoa and Squall felt as though they had just run a ten-mile obstacle course.

Stepping into a corridor, Squall muttered, "Thank Hyne that's over."

"Amen to that," Rinoa smiled at him.

The ebony-haired woman continued to lead Squall down corridors, and around the circular pool of blue water that held fish statues spouting water every fifty feet. They went down another corridor until Rinoa paused in front of a door. Producing a key, Rinoa unlocked the door and threw it open.

"Rinoa," Squall remarked, "This is your room!"

"I know," Rinoa wrinkled her nose at him and said, "Shhh." She led him into the totally darkened room, closing the door.

Squall was somewhat nervous, he tried to adjust his vision and heard his companion fussing around the room. A moment later, a small bedside lamp was turned on, and Rinoa stood before Squall dressed only in her black bra and panties.

"Rinoa!" Squall, blushing slightly, protested.

"What?" she questioned in a pouting voice, her beautiful face suddenly taking on a sultry expression. "Don't you like what you see?"

"It's not that," Squall answered, his voice trailing away.

"Well, what then?" Rinoa wondered, while placing her right hand on her hip and posing her body in a provocative manner.

Squall drew a deep breath and quickly crossed the small bedroom to her and swept her up in a passionate embrace. Leaning down, he began to kiss her in earnest, with Rinoa feverishly returning his kisses.

"Oh, Squall," she murmured, her mind reeling with her dream finally coming true.

Ever since the night of the shooting star at the SeeD Inauguration Ball, Rinoa had thought Squall to be the most handsome man she had ever seen. And as time wore on, she had grown more and more in love with him. The adventure they had lived through united them in a unique way, and she had longed to seal it in a special sharing of intimacy.

Their bodies seemed perfect for each other as they melted together in Squall's fiery embrace. When Rinoa felt something begin to press against her lower belly, she reached down with her right hand and began to gently caress the outside of his pants and felt his erection grow stronger.

Squall groaned softly, bringing a smile to his lover's lips.

The dark-haired man reached behind Rinoa and unclasped her bra. She helped him remove it from her body, revealing her perfect breasts to his astonished sight for the first time.

Squall couldn't quite believe this was really happening to him...that this truly beautiful young woman was offering her body to him as a testament of the love she felt for him.

Squall tentatively touched her breast with his left hand, while murmuring, "You are so lovely."

Rinoa giggled, pleased by his compliment. She reached down to Squall's belt and unclasped it.

Squall gently caressed her nipple feeling it grow hard in his hand, while Rinoa unbuttoned his pants and tugged them past his hips and halfway to his knees.

Squall quietly asked, "Are you certain about this, Rinoa?"

"Oh yes, Sukooru," Rinoa solemnly answered, "More certain than I've ever been in my entire life about anything."

Squall lowered his head to her breast and began to suckle her nipple gently, while feeling it rise even more in his mouth. He felt her warm breath on his neck, the pleasant sensation inflaming him even more.

Sensing his arousal, Rinoa reached down and released his erection from his underclothes. Squall moaned mightily at the touch of her soft, yet firm hand.

He suddenly gasped, and his body tensed. Rinoa felt the seed from his loins upon her hand, and quickly realized what had happened.

Flushing deeply, Squall apologized with deep shame in his voice, "I am _ so _ sorry, Rinoa."

"Don't worry about it," she smiled. "It happens to many young men on their first time, but there'll be other times."

'On their first time...on their first time...on their first time...on their first time...' - These words seem to echo in Squall's mind endlessly. _ How does she know that? _ he wondered. He felt like crawling in a hole, and never coming out.

Completely embarrassed, Squall attempted to pull away from Rinoa, but she grasped him closely and protested, "Oh no you don't! You're not cheating me out of my cuddle. Women liked to be cuddled as well as the other thing...maybe more."

Rinoa led the now half undressed Squall to her bed and pulled him down with her. "Don't worry, there will be other times." She offered again, while snapping off the bedside lamp.

_ Other times... _ thought Squall with unease.

They lay embraced silently until he realized, from the evenness of her deep breathing, that his companion had fallen asleep. He quietly arose from the bed so as to not wake her, quickly gathered his possessions from the floor, and fled from her room in pure shame.

When Rinoa awoke in the morning, she immediately discovered that Squall was already absent from her bed. She was disappointed, but not surprised. 


	2. Star Crossed Lovers Chapter Two

Star Crossed Lovers

By RobertDogwood@aol.com

Edited by Vick330

Chapter Two  
Hungry Heart

In the days to come, Squall acted cool and distant towards Rinoa. He would appear at her door everyday to perfunctorily escort her to breakfast, lunch and dinner in between his other Garden duties. After dinner, he would always walk his girlfriend back to her dorm room, formally bid her good evening and offer a chaste kiss on her cheek.

The _ incident _ that occurred in her room was never brought up by Squall in conversation. It was as if it had never taken place.

Rinoa didn't dare mention it herself or make any allusion to it. She didn't know what sort of reaction it would engender in him, and it filled her with unease. He might quit speaking to her entirely. As it was, Squall only spoke when Rinoa asked him a direct question, and then only answered in monosyllables.

Despite their now defunct romance the time passed quickly for them. Squall was sent out on several missions of varying lengths and degrees of danger, which culminated in a highly dangerous undercover assignment. He infilitrated a Galbadian spy ring based in Esthar and single-handedly destroyed it.

Laguna planned to present Squall with the Estharian Medal of Honor, their highest and most honored award. Predictably, Squall refused, claiming it would hamper his worth in the field. But everybody knew this was just an excuse; the brooding man hated any kind of pomp and ceremony.

Meanwhile Rinoa buried her emotions by keeping herself busy with various projects - such as helping to raise money for the Garden's new gymnasium and the Balamb Crippled Children's Fund.

The ebony-haired young woman also spent a great deal of her time with the young students, often acting as their surrogate mother or older sister, depending on their ages.

Unfortunately Squall's duties began to place even more responsibility on him. When he was able to wrest himself away from all his responsibilities and spend time with Rinoa, he was even more distant than previously. And that was when he didn't avoid her altogether.

Rinoa realized she should have spoken to Squall about that night a long time before, because now it was too late. Too much resentment had formed on both of their parts, and there was now a feeling of discomfort between them.

The night that completed the process of Squall and Rinoa's relationship tearing completely asunder, was the night of her eighteenth birthday. As she sat excitedly in her room, waiting for her boyfriend to suprise her with some sort of thoughtful act, each passing hour killed a little bit more of her feelings for him.

She had not expected a big party, or even a gift, but just dinner at Balamb or for him to at least visit, and make some small fuss over her. All she wished for was for him to simply care, but that hope was cruelly crushed. By the stroke of midnight, sounded by the Garden clock, Rinoa lay weeping across her bed.

"Hyne damn you, Squall Leonheart!" Rinoa fervently spoke aloud. "Never again will I give you the opportunity to hurt me like this."

When Squall tapped upon her dorm room door early the next morning, to escort her to breakfast, Rinoa had already left for the day. When no one called out or came to the door, Squall turned away assuming that Rinoa had decided to sleep in and never gave it another thought.

* * *

Some of Rinoa's voluntary underage female charges, ages thirteen to fifteen, convinced her to chaperone them on a swimming trip to Mandy Beach outside of Timber. They had recognized Rinoa's despondency over her now completely shattered relationship with Squall, because it so closely resembled their own teenage angst. It was arranged quickly for the Ragnarok to drop them off and then return in four hours.

As Rinoa sat on the isolated beach watching the young girls dash in and out of the water, splashing each other and laughing, she realized it had already done her some good to leave the Garden. It was soothing to experience some sunshine and fresh air, rather than fluorescent lighting and stale air conditioning.

Suddenly the oldest and therefore boldest, of the group of female students raced up the beach to where Rinoa was sitting.

Susu, a fifteen-year-old blonde, entreated, "Come on, Rinoa. It will do you some good to get in the water," while two other students attempted to pull Rinoa up on her feet.

"But I didn't bring a bathing suit," protested the ebony-haired woman.

"So what?" Susu retorted. "You've got undies on, don't you? Or would you rather we throw you in? We have enough girls to do it!" Susu exclaimed with a mischievous grin.

Suddenly Rinoa realized it had been quite a long while since she had done anything truly spontaneous. In fact, she recalled when she was these girls' age, and how she and her friends had gone skinny dipping, although she would never admit to that now.

Standing up quickly, Rinoa removed her stylish outfit and ran laughing down to the ocean with SuSu and the two other students. An hour later, Rinoa happened to glance up at the beach from the water, where she had just finished working on her back stroke. She was appalled to see a tall young man on the beach, leaning over her clothes.

Striding quickly towards the intruder, who was now holding her outfit in his hands, Rinoa cried out, "Hey! Leave my clothes alone, you thief!"

When the young man glanced up at her, Rinoa observed he was rather tall and wispily built with blond hair on the longer side and diffident good looks. _ Hmmm, _ Rinoa thought to herself, _ Not too shabby, on the whole I'd say. _

Quickly reaching him, Rinoa yanked her clothes from his hands. She held them up as protection from his prying eyes, completely blocking his view of her body.

_ No more scenes like last time, _ she thought whimsically.

"I beg your pardon," the young man spoke in a cultured voice, while bowing to Rinoa. "My name is Ashley Wentworth and I reside just outside of Timber."

"And what is your interest in my property, Mr. Wentworth?" she asked challengingly.

He smiled and explained, "I was taking my daily constitutional on the beach, when I passed by your clothing. I was intrigued to see if it was a beauty who wore such a provocative outfit, and I am most pleased to see that that is the case."

Rinoa blushed prettily at the flattering remark, despite herself. She had been receiving so few compliments for anything as of late.

"And you are?" the young man asked, while daintily holding out his right hand bent at the wrist.

"Rinoa...Rinoa Heartilly," she answered while gripping her right hand with his, as he leaned down and kissed the back of her hand.

"Charmed, I'm sure," he replied.

The sun had lowered in the late afternoon. The now cool wind caused Rinoa to shiver slightly, causing her skin to become covered with goose bumps.

Noticing this, Ashley Wentworth exclaimed, "Oh, a thousand pardons, m'lady. You will catch your death of chill. Please allow me to turn my back, so you can immediately change into some warmer clothing."

When Ashley turned his back, the young woman felt slightly paranoid that he would suddenly turn back, but decided to trust him. She quickly changed her clothes, European beach style, holding and flipping her clothing in such a manner that she pulled her wet clothes off, and donned her dry ones without one inch of her body being made available to public eyes.

"Okay, you can look now," Rinoa announced.

Turning back to her, Ashley proclaimed, "Oh, Hyne! I was right. Even with your hair wet and no makeup, you are the most enchanting woman I have ever seen."

Again, and despite herself, Rinoa blushed slightly at his extravagant show of admiration.

"And what do you do?" Ashley inquired. "And where did all those young girls, that I first saw with you, disappear to?"

Rinoa smiled. "I live at Balamb Garden and they're all all down there hiding behind the dunes. They think they're spying on us."

Ashley threw his head back and laughed a hearty laugh.

_ Well, at least he laughs like an ordinary man does, _ Rinoa thought.

"Balamb Garden, hmmm. Are you a SeeD?" inquired the blond man.

"No," Rinoa answered, shaking her head. "I just live there for the time being."

"Might one inquire if one, such as myself, would be allowed to visit you there?"

He was really friendly and charming. Against her better judgment, Rinoa cast her fate to the winds and answered, "If you tell me in advance, I can arrange clearance for you to visit."

"How about this Sunday, about five in the evening?" asked Ashley.

"Yes, that would be fine," Rinoa smiled.

"Oh, capitol!" he exclaimed.

As Selphie cut the Ragnarok's speed dramatically in preparation of landing near the beach, Irvine, who was standing behind her, suddenly exclaimed, "Selphie! Look over there!"

As Selphie momentarily shifted her gaze to where Irvine was pointing, and observed Rinoa standing talking with an attractive young man, she thought, _ Oh, shit! That tears it now, doesn't it? It's about time for Quistis and me to step in. _


	3. Star Crossed Lovers Chapter Three

Star Crossed Lovers

By RobertDogwood@aol.com

Edited by Vick330

Chapter Three  
Walls Have Ears

Ashley Wentworth did make an appearance at the Garden on Sunday as he promised, and came on every Sunday after that for a month. It just so happened that Squall was gone on assignment on each of those days, and consequently knew nothing about Rinoa's visitor. Nobody dared inform him of the situation, mostly because no one was suicidal enough to bring the Commander bad news if they didn't have to. Squall had recently grown so frustrated in general, that he nearly raged out of control over even minor discrepancies.

The irony was, despite what everyone else in Garden thought, that the ebony-haired woman was ambivalent in her feelings towards Ashley. Rinoa did not find the blond man particularly physically attractive, and had not given him any indication that she did.

Still, Ashley continued his visits. What reasonably attractive young man, after all, doesn't believe that he can't win the heart of a beautiful young woman? A woman who finds him intellectually stimulating at that?

And that was what drew Rinoa to Ashley like a moth to a flame. He was witty, charming, soft spoken, highly educated, well read, polite to the utmost and the bottom line was he made her laugh; something which was a rare commodity in the time she spent with Squall.

She loved the hours she spent with her new friend, and looked forward to it all the week. No one in Garden had even spoken with her concerning him, so in turn she had never explained her position, but everyone thought the Commander's woman was being moved on behind his back. And the rumors were beginning to grow.

Predictably, the undisguised gossip reached Squall's ears. One morning in the corridor outside of her dorm room, when he arrived to escort her to breakfast, the introverted man angrily confronted Rinoa about her new _ boyfriend. _ As there were many young women SeeDs and students present in the hallway, Rinoa was left badly shaken and embarrassed from the incident...and bitterly resentful too.

_ Damn him! _ she later thought passionately. _ Who is he to tell me what to do? _

The entire affair drove a further wedge in their relationship. And it finally convinced Quistis and Selphie that something needed to be done immediately.

* * *

One evening Quistis was in her room, sitting behind a small table, and grading a pop quiz she had given the day before on the proper care of Guardian Forces. That was when Selphie came to visit her blonde friend, with the firm intention of talking about what had become Garden's main gossip.

The brunette flopped on her back across the young instructor's bed and inquired, "So Quisty, have you given any thought as to what we're going to do to bring Squall and Rinoa back together?"

Quistis glanced up from grading her test papers and smiled at her smaller, energetic friend. "Yes, I have. It's completely out of the question to approach it with Squall. He's been so out of control lately, we'd be lucky if we aren't demoted."

"So that means," Selphie concluded, "that we work on Rinoa to discover what caused this to happen in the first place."

"That's right," the blonde woman nodded. "Tomorrow afternoon in the baths. Rinoa's gonna meet us there."

"And then she's gonna come clean," Selphie punned.

* * *

Rinoa was already lolling in the warm water of the bath, when Selphie and Quistis entered the room.

Dropping the towels they were wrapped in, Quistis inquired, as she and Selphie stepped down into the water, "Been waiting long?"

Rinoa lazily shook her head. "Nope."

Quistis began the planned conversation. "Rinoa, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

The hazel-eyed woman suddenly became alert. There was something different about the tone of Quistis's voice. Something cunning.

Consequently she was not completely caught off guard when the blonde instructor continued, "Are you and Squall doing okay?"

"Yeah, what's up with you and Squall?" Selphie chimed in.

The blonde instructor glared at her diminutive friend, who had previously agreed to allow her to handle the questioning. Selphie lowered her eyes to the water to avoid Quistis' staring. This interaction did not go unnoticed by the subject of the investigation.

"Everything's fine," Rinoa answered. "Why do you ask?" The midnight-haired woman had found that reflecting a question with a question could be beneficial in keeping an unwanted interrogator off balance.

"You mean you're not going out with that Ashley dude?" Selphie interrupted again.

Rinoa smiled broadly and answered, "Certainly not. We're just friends."

Quistis glanced at her shrewdly, and ascertained that she had lied about the first question and told the truth about the second. She could tell by a certain look that came in Rinoa's eyes, and the manner in which she held her mouth before answering. The blue-eyed woman now had her friend in her sights and she wasn't going to allow her to escape.

Quistis stated, "Rinoa, Selphie and I both know fully well why you and Squall dropped from sight, on the night the Garden celebrated our return from time compression."

Rinoa blushed. "I don't have any idea of what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do!" Quistis contradicted. "You know exactly what I'm talking about and you also know what went wrong, and I think it's connected to why you and Squall are so far apart today."

"I don't have to stay here and listen to your prying into our personal lives. What's private stays private, Miss Trepe!" Rinoa expounded, beginning to stand up from the bath.

"Rinoa, do you still love Squall?" inquired the blonde woman gently.

"I...think so." Rinoa's voice faltered.

"You're not sure anymore?" Quistis exclaimed, shocked and dismayed.

"I'm leaving," the brown-eyed woman announced, beginning to step out of the bath.

"Rinoa!" Quistis cried. "If you don't tell us what's going on, it could get Squall killed."

Rinoa retorted, "Oh give me a break!"

"It's true!" Quistis insisted.

Intrigued despite herself, Rinoa sat back down in the bath and replied, "Do tell."

"Alright," Quistis responded. "Something happened that night that caused Squall to lose confidence in himself."

Rinoa just nodded, and the blonde woman resumed her explanation. "Squall is not good with failure. He never was, he just never failed very often, thank Hyne. Right now his self esteem is so poor, I'm afraid he doesn't trust himself anymore. He's behaving out of control. He stays so frustrated that he's off balance all the time. That's not a good combination for a man who faces others in physical combat to the death - no self esteem, high frustration and low anger control and being off balance."

The instructor could see in her friend's eyes that she was getting through to her, and so continued her speech.

"It could get him killed, Rinoa. You've got to tell us what happened that night," Quistis entreated plaintively.

"Alright," Rinoa acquiesced to the almost tearful pleading of the blonde instructor. "But you've got to promise me that you won't tell another living soul. It would just kill Squall, if he ever knew I were telling you all."

"Okay," Quistis quickly agreed. "Sure," Selphie replied.

Blushing from revealing such intimate secrets, even to her close friends, Rinoa, half glancing away, confessed, "That night Squall was premature, if you catch my meaning."

"Aw, is that all it is?" Selphie questioned. "That happens all the time."

"Not to Squall it doesn't," Quistis explained.

"And now let me take an educated guess," Quistis stated.

Rinoa nodded.

"Your relationship has grown worse and worse since that night," Quistis conjectured.

Rinoa nodded and replied, her voice barely audible. "Yes. But if what you say is true, Quistis, then what can I do to reach him?"

"I'm not quite sure yet, but I'll get with you as soon as I come up with something."

After the three young women finished their personal bathing, they stood up to leave.

Selphie exclaimed, "Swear to Hyne it will stay in this room."

The three women said "A-men" and then left the bath together.

But the sensitive information had already left the room. Unbeknownst to the three women in the bath, a young blonde SeeD named Ai was in the dressing room and overheard the entire conversation. When she realized they were leaving the bath, she quickly redressed and fled the dressing room just seconds before the trio entered. 


	4. Star Crossed Lovers Chapter Four

59.html/ 

Star Crossed Lovers

By RobertDogwood@aol.com

Edited by Vick330

Chapter Four  
Of Betrayal and Trust

Ai lived with the information for three days and finally cracked. She swore her best friend, Sarah, to secrecy and then told her everything. Sarah immediately told Ramona and Beth, who couldn't wait to tell their entire female class. The topic had a wide audience, during a lecture on the subject of the proper use of Guardian Forces during childbirth, while the instructor was out of the room.

By the following Sunday, there wasn't a woman in the Garden who hadn't heard of it, including the kitchen staff and dining room employees. It had even reached the upper echelon where Xu resided; she didn't tell a soul, but it caused her grave concern.

And then it happened. A fifteen year old female student told her boyfriend. Predictably, it traveled like wildfire through the men's dormitories, with some bad jokes and sniggering accompanying it.

On the next Sunday afternoon, Squall was preparing to leave the cafeteria where he had been entertaining some visitors. It was yet another part of his job which he found vaguely distasteful. Already in a rotten mood, he overheard two male upper-classmen, conversing behind a huge potted plant near the doorway of the cafeteria.

"Did you hear that apparently the Commander is too quick on the trigger?" one young man asked.

"At least as far as Rinoa Heartilly is concerned," the second one answered and began to laugh.

As the first male upper-classman joined in with his laughter, Squall nearly lost touch totally with reality as massive doses of adrenaline fueled his rage. The next thing he knew, he was on the other side of the potted plant, his gunblade drawn and his finger quivering dangerously close to the trigger.

"You two have exactly one minute to confine yourselves to quarters for the next week, or I will bust you in rank to the day you entered this institution!" Squall screamed at the two utterly shocked upper-classmen, who stood with their mouths agape.

"Yes, sir," they both managed to mutter and then sprinted from the cafeteria, in an effort to quickly remove themselves from the presence of the madman with the large gunblade.

With his entire body still shaking with rage, Squall carefully put _ Lionheart _ away. As he glanced around the cafeteria, he noticed that people present glanced away when he made eye contact with them.

_ That worthless slut! _ Squall thought as he strode from the cafeteria, determined to locate Rinoa.

As the enraged man quickly moved through the corridor, with his face set in a murderous rage, students and SeeDs alike leaped from his path.

Remembering that Rinoa spent her Sunday afternoons entertaining that effete rich boy out by the front gates, Squall headed in that direction. Observing Rinoa and her visitor sitting on a blanket in the grass, laughing and talking, only fueled Squall's irrationality as he began to run towards them.

Looming over Rinoa, his body momentarily blocked out the rays from the sun and she glanced up from her conversation.

"You worthless bitch! How many people did you tell?!" Squall bellowed.

Rinoa flushed heavily and attempted to answer, "Squall, I-."

"How many?!" Squall repeated in a shriek.

Tears began to roll down Rinoa's face and her lips quivered as she attempted to speak again.

Squall reached down suddenly. His fist curled around _ Griever, _ which hung beside her mother's wedding band on a necklace around Rinoa's neck. He then pulled so violently that the necklace was torn off, the wedding band and bits of chain scattering an all directions.

"You don't deserve to wear this anymore, you whore!" Squall snarled.

When Rinoa began sobbing in earnest, Ashley made a sudden move to comfort her.

Drawing _ Lionheart _ and holding it over Ashley, Squall warned, "Don't make any sudden moves, asswipe."

"It's Ashley," the man replied with quiet dignity.

"It's asswipe to me, and let me give you some advice. Don't trust her, she'll betray you."

With that, Squall turned and began to retrace his steps, still clutching _ Lionheart _ in his right hand.

* * *

Shortly after, Squall sat in his office and sighed. The room was large, as befitted his rank as Commander. He was angrily going through papers, messily strewn over his desk, when a knock came at his door.

"Go away," Squall called out. "I'm busy."

"Squall, it's Quistis. I need to speak with you, it's important."

"If it's about Rinoa, you can forget it. Don't bother coming in," Squall answered.

"No, it's not about Rinoa," Quists replied, opening the door. "It's about you."

"Me?" Squall responded, the surprise evident in his voice. "What about me?"

Quistis stepped toward Squall and remained standing in front of his desk. Quistis felt that she needed the psychological advantage of standing over him.

"By the way," Squall said off-handedly, "I need you to tell Rinoa that her presence is no longer desired at this facility."

"Squall!" Quistis protested.

"What? Are you gonna say I can't do that? She only has been here on our good graces, you know that."

"Squall," Quistis attempted to explain, "Rinoa only told Selphie and me and that's only because we begged her to. I don't know how all those people found out!"

Squall rose to his feet with some alacrity, while slamming his right hand down hard on his desk.

"I don't care how many she told, Quistis! They all know now, and I want her out of here! How am I supposed to command people who have lost all respect for me?"

"Squall," she answered quietly. "People have lost respect for you because of the insane way you have been behaving, not because of anything Rinoa said or didn't say."

The blonde woman noticed that Squall's eyes had taken on a dangerous glint of anger.

"Quistis, I have a ton of paperwork to do tonight, and I have to entertain the leaders from Dollet tomorrow. I have no more time to spend with you discussing my personal life. Now, good night," Squall insisted, dismissing the instructor, while reseating himself.

As he looked back at his paperwork, Quistis replied in a firm voice, "No, not good night until I've said what I came here to say."

The dark-haired man stood up again, his face a mask of frozen rage, his eyes mere slits in his face.

"Quistis, this is a direct order from your commander. You are to leave my office immediately or face serious consequences," Squall snarled at the blonde woman.

"You're not _ my _ commander anymore, Squall," she replied softly. "This thing with Rinoa has caused you to lose your confidence in yourself and therefore your sense of proportion. You're placing yourself in grave jeopardy. You're only a shadow of your former self."

"Quistis!!" Squall thundered. "Not one more word!"

"Good night, Squall," she said coolly as she left his office.

Shaking with rage, Squall reseated himself and continued with his paperwork. 


	5. Star Crossed Lovers Chapter Five

Star Crossed Lovers

By RobertDogwood@aol.com

Edited by Vick330

Chapter Five  
Pain

Early the next morning, Squall set off on his daily inspection of the entire property. He actually hated this duty, because it entailed returning salutes with practically everyone in the entire Garden.

His meeting with the Dollet officials wasn't scheduled to begin until after lunch, which is why he was surprised to observe three visitors standing near the front gate.

This was not the appropriate time for visitation, and as he stood and studied them, he had the nagging impression he had seen them somewhere before. But he just couldn't remember when or where.

The strange little party consisted of three people: A tall, but badly stooped man, who looked to be in his mid-thirties and had a ferret looking pock marked face; followed by a young blonde woman, who stood about five foot, five inches tall. She might have been fairly attractive, at one point in her life, but now mostly looked hard. Rounding out the party stood a freshly scrubbed appearing young man, resembling nothing less than a young angel. The last member of the group was genteelly dressed in a brown suit, and carried a large business briefcase.

Before Squall could approach the strange threesome, and inquire of their business at the Garden, he spotted Rinoa and his blood boiled. He had expected his orders to be carried out, and the treacherous woman to be already expelled from the premises.

Turning his attention to her, Squall bellowed, "Rinoa!" his hatred and rage evident in his angry voice.

Standing gazing at him sadly, Rinoa's beautiful features took on a look of alarm, as she cried out in warning, "Squall! Look out!"

Sensing some movement to his right, Squall attempted to whirl, but his reflexes were too sluggish. All happened in a flash, and he suddenly heard the loud retorts of shots ringing out. When he finally completed his turn, he fully expected to feel the searing burning of shots, cutting ruthlessly through his body. Instead he heard the dull thuds of bullets impacting another's body. He realized that somehow, impossibly, Rinoa had reached his side and thrown herself across the path of the bullets - the bullets that had marked him for certain death.

Upon seeing Rinoa's body, broken and bloodied at his feet, Squall suddenly realized what he had just lost, and he cried out her name in anguish.

Looking up and observing the startled expressions of the three visitors, who were now holding semi-automatic machine guns - much like the one Laguna used to have - Squall suddenly remembered where he knew these people from. They were members of the Galbadian spy ring he had broken up in Esthar! Quistis had been right, he realized, for his senses had become dulled, and now it may have caused the woman he loved her life.

Observing Irvine off to his far right and Zell to his near left, he nodded at both in a silent signal. He then leaped into action, amid the barrage of bullets raining down on him. With two quick steps he was upon the ferret faced man, who was no longer stooped, but was standing upright. The spy's eyes widened when he suddenly saw the hard-faced blonde drop her weapon, and grab at her neck, where two of Irvine's shots had found a home.

Squall threw himself into a forward roll, completed one full tumble and rose to his feet. The Commander landed behind the ferret faced man, and unsheathed _ Lionheart _ in a fluid motion. The dark-haired man brought his weapon down across the spy's shoulders - ** BANG! ** - And the man's head fell to the ground, while his body continued to fire the machine gun for several seconds.

Zell made short work of the angelic appearing young man leaving him a battered lifeless body. Seeing that their opponents were neutralized, Squall raced back to Rinoa and gently picked her up in his arms. With tears streaming down his face, Squall sprinted at top speed ceaselessly through the Garden.

Barreling into the clinic, Squall cried out, "Doctor! Come quick!"

Doctor Kadowaki, hearing the fear in Squall's voice, hurried down the hall. Bustling into her office, she immediately comprehended the seriousness of Rinoa's condition. The older woman became an efficient medical machine, ordering Squall to take Rinoa to the surgery, while calling out loudly for her nurse.

With the nurse hustling here and there, setting up a blood transfusion, an I.V. drip and placing an oxygen mask over Rinoa's mouth, Doctor Kadowaki pushed Squall out of the room.

"Pray to Hyne, son, pray to Hyne," said the doctor gently.

Squall retreated to the doctor's office, and sitting down behind her desk he laid his arms and head wearily on it.

_ It's all my fault, _ Squall thought remorsefully. _ Quistis was right. I should have been killed. I would be dead, if it weren't for Rinoa. I don't deserve to be a commander. I shouldn't be in a position of authority over other people. I couldn't even tell myself the right thing to do. I've allowed my vanity to overrule my common sense and I've probably killed the best thing that ever came into my life. _

Tears continued to roll down Squall's face. _ If she dies, _ Squall thought, _ I'll kill myself. _

* * *

Five and three-quarters hours later, Doctor Kadowaki had done all she could do for Rinoa. She had removed the bullets, repaired slight damage to organs, removed all the shrapnel, repaired all the collateral damage, cleaned and bandaged skin abrasions, sewed up all the medium sized cuts, and then closed her back up with sutures.

After a large initial bolus of antibiotics, Rinoa was infused with a constant supply of them through her I.V. to keep her awash with the anti-infection treatment. Doctor Kadowaki was most worried about septic complications, for she knew it could carry the young woman away from them in a matter of hours.

The doctor knew it would take a miracle for Rinoa to survive, but also realized she was alive today because of miracles, and quite possibly could just be one of those _ star crossed _ people - those who survive disaster after disaster, only to finally die of old age. Furthermore, her patient was strong willed and a fighter, which counted for much in a recovery.

_ Fifty - fifty. _ the good doctor thought to herself. They wheeled Rinoa in her bed, along with the attached I.V. into the room closest to her office, so she could keep a careful watch on the young woman.

Once they had Rinoa secured in the room, Squall entered the room, pulled over a chair and sat by Rinoa's bedside. He found it ironic that this was the same room as when she was possessed by Sorceress Ultimecia - another time when he had failed to protect her.

"You have to live, Rinoa," Squall spoke aloud.

He hoped she could hear him somewhere in her soul, as she once had when she was lost in outer space. "Not for me, for yourself, I don't deserve another chance," he whispered.

As he looked at his beloved's badly wounded body, Squall realized how much he loved and needed her. He had been enraged at what he had construed as her betrayal, but realized now it was not all her fault. Maybe he should have talked to her after the incident, maybe he should have trusted her more.

And now, it might be too late.

Much too late... 


	6. Star Crossed Lovers Chapter Six

Star Crossed Lovers

By RobertDogwood@aol.com

Edited by Vick330

Chapter Six  
Like Sunlight Through Dark Clouds...

Not surprisingly, the fight that culminated in three dead Galbadian spies received great coverage in the _ Balamb Gazette, _ but there wasn't one word concerning it in _ The Deling City Times. _

After two days, there had been no change in Rinoa's condition or in Squall's. He stubbornly refused to leave her bedside, and also refused to eat or even drink. It was obvious to the doctor, and to everyone else, that he wanted to die. In his every waking moment, the dark-haired man blamed himself, and sometimes in his dreams too when he passed out from sheer exhaustion.

Selphie, Quistis, Zell, Irvine and many others had come to visit, their pain and concern obvious in their demeanor. But that afternoon, Ashley Wentworth came by, unsure of the greeting he would receive. Upon reading in the press about the incident at Balamb Garden, and being unable to reach Rinoa, he had finally gotten in touch with Selphie and hearing of the bad news had come to inquire.

The nurse thought it better to inform Squall of the blond man's presence. In view of their last encounter, Ashley was somewhat intimidated when the Commander came to meet him.

"Please tell me, how is she?" pleaded Ashley.

"We don't know if she'll make it, Mr. Wentworth."

"Mr. Leonhart," began the blond man.

"Please, call me Squall. And I'm sorry for the way I acted when I first met you."

Ashley immediately recognized that he was facing a broken, and tortured man. Holding grudges was not part of his personality, and so he offered, "No need to apologize, Squall. I guess I would have reacted the same way, had I seen my girlfriend with another man."

Still feeling horribly guilty, the dark-haired man stated, "I don't think she'll ever want to see me again, if she makes it. I can't hold it against her if she looks for happiness elsewhere."

"You're misunderstanding the situation," said Ashley. "Oh, I admit that I hoped to win her love, especially since at first I didn't know who she was."

Faced with Squall's stare, he continued. "When you yelled at her that day, I tried to comfort her. Do you know what she told me?"

"What?" asked Squall in a whisper.

"That she loved you, and suffered that your relationship was asunder." Ashley took a deep breath before continuing. "I love her, Squall, but as a friend, for her heart belongs to you. You have an amazing woman there, and I know that she'll pull through, but she needs you and I think that you need her."

The dark-haired man couldn't reply, never in his life had he felt so inadequate, or so helpless. Noticing the flowers in Ashley's hands, he managed to inquire, "Do you want to see her?"

The blond man breathed deeply. "I don't think it's my place, but please give her these. Lilies are her favorite." And putting the bouquet in the other man's hands, he said, "Please, let me know if her condition changes."

"I will," promised the Commander.

Squall had much to ponder. He realized that he didn't even know what were Rinoa's favorite flowers, or color, or music. He had just taken too many things for granted, whereas Ashley had evidently not. _ Sweet Hyne, please give me another chance - or give her another chance, _ he prayed silently.

After another day without any form of sustenance, he was totally detached, unable to relate to the real world. All that mattered was Rinoa, all his attention was drawn to any sign that she would recover. He didn't even feel Dr. Kadowaki hooking an I.V. onto his arm, in an effort to keep him alive, even if he had lost all will to survive. The doctor had already decided that the hero of the free world was not going to die in her clinic, not if she could help it.

Five and then six days slowly passed and there was still no change in Rinoa's medical condition. Phony press releases were sent out from the Garden intimating that Squall had been sent out on yet another secret assignment. The leaders from Dollet were quite miffed, when it was explained to them that Squall wasn't available and they would have to settle for Xu. They had wanted his autograph and were disappointed.

Day seven passed - and then day eight, and there still was no sign of awareness from the ebony-haired woman. Despite the I.V. hooked to his arm, Squall had continued to lose weight. His face was gaunt, his cheeks sunken in, and his eyes were empty.

On the morning of the ninth day, Squall found he could barely lift his head to glance blearily around the room. He found himself wishing his miserable life would just end, and release him from the pain of his guilt.

"Oh, Rinoa," he moaned.

"What?" she asked faintly.

In his weakened condition, it took Squall a matter of seconds to realize that he hadn't hallucinated her voice. By this time Rinoa asked, "Squall, are you ok?"

Squall lifted his head from the side of the bed. He saw his beloved, with her long black hair spread across the white pillow, appearing extremely pale, but with a smile on her beautiful face.

"Rinoa," Squall spoke, his voice breaking from the emotions overwhelming him, "I...I love you."

"I must still be dreaming," Rinoa replied.

"Don't joke," Squall cautioned with gentleness in his tone. "I'm serious."

"I know you are, Gunblade boy. You're always serious," Rinoa declared, while reaching out with her right hand and rumpling his already disarrayed hair.

"You need a haircut," Rinoa explained. "And by the way, I love you too. What day is it?"

"It's Wednesday," was Squall's laconic response.

"Oh, Great Hyne!" Rinoa exclaimed. "I've been asleep two whole days!"

Squall's reply astonished her. "Of the next week," he explained.

As Rinoa lay silently attempting to assimilate this amazing information, Squall declared, "Here," while holding out his right hand.

Rinoa accepted the offering, and when she saw it was the golden _ Griever _ tears began slipping from her eyes. Squall must have been holding it in his hand the entire time she was in the coma, she realized.

Squall tried to rise to his feet, but in his weakened condition had to hold on to the bed. He leaned over, kissed Rinoa's soft lips, and then called out for Doctor Kadowaki.

"Come quick!!" Squall shouted, and then promptly passed out on the floor.

The doctor, fearing the worst, hustled into Rinoa's room and was overjoyed to see her patient sitting up wide awake in her bed. After checking all of her vitals and discovering everything to be okay, she ordered Squall to be also placed in a bed.

In the ensuing days Rinoa's rehabilitation progressed in leaps and bounds, while Squall mostly slept. He had been unconscious initially for twenty-four hours straight, then woke up and ate a large meal just to fall back asleep immediately.

The Commander slept another forty-eight hours, waking up late in the afternoon on the fourth day following Rinoa's miraculous awakening. Feeling his strength coming back, Squall slipped out of his clinic bed, left his room and immediately made his way to Rinoa's side.

She was sitting up with many pillows purloined from everywhere behind her back, so she could read comfortably - which was the only activity Dr. Kadowaki had allowed.

Setting her book face down on the bed, she greeted her companion, "You're awake," and smiled at him.

"How are you feeling?" Squall asked, the compassion quite evident in his voice.

As Rinoa gazed upon her once again lover, she realized with a jolt that Squall's features had completely softened, and there was no tension present in the way that he stood - unlike the way it had been for the last few months.

"I'm fine," she smiled.

As he turned to look for a chair, the back of his extremely short hospital gown flew open completely, revealing his back side to Rinoa's amusement.

"If I were you," the young woman suggested, "I wouldn't bend over in that gown you are wearing," and laughed when Squall immediately whirled back to her, while moving his right hand behind him to hold the gown shut.

"You're so cute," Rinoa exclaimed. "You're blushing again."

"Rinoa," Squall asked seriously, "with the hateful way I was treating you, why did you risk your life to save mine?"

"If the situation had been reversed, could you have just stood by and watched as the three of them mowed me down?" Rinoa wondered.

Sudden comprehension flooded Squall's eyes and he silently shook his head.

"The love between us is for all time, Squall...through joy and sorrow...and beyond life and death," Rinoa affirmed.

Squall leaned over and filled her up with his embrace.

That was all the reply she would ever need.

Coming soon - 7th and final chapter. 


	7. Star Crossed Lovers Chapter Seven

Star Crossed Lovers

By RobertDogwood@aol.com

Edited by Vick330

Chapter Seven  
The Star Crossed Lovers

Later in the evening on the day before she and Squall were to be released from the clinic, Rinoa looked up from her book for a second, and was surprised to observe Squall speaking to Dr. Kadowaki in low tones for a matter of minutes. At the end of their conversation, Rinoa heard the doctor agree, "There'll be no problem with that, Squall."

Watching Squall quietly leave the doctor's office, and not return to keep her company, Rinoa wondered, _ Now what was that all about? _

Early the next morning, Rinoa was awaken by the noise of activity in her clinic room. Lifting her head slightly off her pillow and glancing around she was amazed to see Squall standing there. He was now appareled in a plaid bath robe and standing behind a wheelchair that he was gripping by the handles. Doctor Kadowaki and the nurse stood nearby, both beaming at her.

"What's going on?" Rinoa asked blearily.

"You're returning to your quarters today, my dear," explained Dr. Kadowaki.

"I mean what's with the wheelchair?" Rinoa inquired.

"Ahem," the doctor cleared her throat.

The nurse quickly said, "It's a new policy of the medical program. All patients will be discharged back to their rooms via a wheelchair. It's just a safety precaution."

"But what about Squall? He's being discharged today, as well and I don't see him in a wheelchair," the young woman pointed out, understanding full well that something highly suspicious was occurring here.

"Well, wouldn't that look silly?" the nurse retorted. "One person in a wheelchair pushing another person in a wheelchair. Or perhaps you're looking forward to participating in a wheelchair race," she added sarcastically.

Dr. Kadowaki cut the nurse off from any further ludicrous explanations, by pointing out that Rinoa was the legitimate patient - Squall had merely needed a few days of rest.

"Oh, alright," Rinoa acquiesced with a barely audible sigh.

She arose from the bed, being careful to keep her hospital gown closed, and sat down in the wheelchair. Squall stepped around and tucked a light blanket over the lower half of her body, to keep her decent during her ride through the Garden.

Before straightening up, the dark-haired man grinned and whispered, "Good morning." Rinoa offered a wink in return.

Saying their goodbyes, Squall wheeled Rinoa out of the clinic, and down the corridor toward the main part of the Garden. Rinoa perceived suddenly in a flash of intuition, what her companion had in mind, and she endorsed the idea wholeheartedly. She had come to understand, in her days of convalescence, that her initial eager blunder was partly responsible for Squall's sexual dysfunction.

She realized now that by her controlling their one night of bliss, she had initially caused him to feel emasculated right from the beginning. Of course, he would have felt uncomfortable in her room - with the pink walls surrounded by her toy stuffed Chocobos, her bed covered with souvenir throw pillows from Deling City, Timber, Dollet and Balamb and her rare, one of a kind, autographed picture of Bahamut dedicated to her, which hung over her bed.

She also realized that if she hadn't been exhausted from her long day, she wouldn't have fallen asleep immediately. And she was positive Squall's encore performance, had she encouraged it, would have been more satisfactory for both of them.

But it wasn't all her fault. How was she to know, or understand, that she needed to wait for him to make the first move? Knowing him the way she did, her man may very well have waited until he received an official order. And she could hardly have led him to his room, for she wasn't even allowed in the men's corridor. She was curious as to how Squall was going to get her into his room.

Squall reached the end of the corridor, and wheeled Rinoa into the main part of the Garden. All of the hectic activity of SeeDs and students, rushing here to there to attend to their duties, suddenly stopped at the sight of her.

The young woman flushed slightly, wondering what was happening, when suddenly everyone present broke into spontaneous applause and cheering. SeeDs, who she only slightly knew or not at all - rushed to shake her hand or to offer a hug.

After a few minutes the excitement began to die down, and Squall took the opportunity to resume pushing her wheelchair.

Rinoa was literally glowing from the positive attention. "So that's what hero worship feels like. I could get used to that," she declared.

"It gets old after awhile," Squall replied.

"Yes, I can see that," Rinoa responded with amusement.

Pushing Rinoa down the corridor that led to the men's dormitory, Squall paused outside the door giving access to his hallway. He stepped around the wheelchair and partially opened the door making a careful scrutiny of the premises to ascertain that the coast was clear. Not observing anyone, Squall stepped back behind the wheelchair and quickly rolled Rinoa down to the door of his room.

Opening the door wide to allow the wheelchair to pass, he returned and rolled his beloved into his room. He then shut and locked the door behind them. Reaching down, he gently pulled his companion to her feet, causing the blanket he had placed on her lap to fall to the floor between them. The dark-haired man enveloped Rinoa in a tender embrace, his long arms pulling her into his body and wrapping around her back, as if finally attempting to keep her safe from harm. Rinoa reciprocated by wrapping her arms around his waist, and resting her head on his shoulder. They remained that way for a long time, without speaking or moving, simply taking comfort in each other's reassuring presence.

The soft sunlight, filtered through the curtains, shone in the room upon the couple. Dust motes, which floated around them, seemed liked falling snow flakes. A kaleidoscope of colors appeared to drift by Rinoa's eyes, as she just let herself go completely, finally feeling whole in Squall's arms.

"I'm sorry about what happened the night of the celebration party, Squall," said the hazel-eyed woman softly, breaking the silence. "I guess we should have taken things slower."

He just held her gently and replied, "It just got to me that it was my first time, and you're so much more experienced, Rinoa."

"What?" the young beauty asked with obvious surprise.

"I know it's immature," he continued, "but I felt somewhat inferior, I guess it's something I have to learn to cope with."

"Squall, what do you mean by 'you are so much more experienced'?" she inquired.

"Well, you seem to know so much, and you and Seifer..."

Rinoa wasn't sure if she should be offended or amused. "I just read a lot, and I had sex-ed in school. And for your information, Seifer and I just went out together for a few weeks, we never slept together."

"Oh!" was the dark-haired man's reaction to his blunder.

His shocked expression brought a smile to her lips, and she reassured him, "Squall, nobody has ever made me feel the way you do. Nobody has ever touched me the way you have."

Not finding any more words, she rose on her toes and began to offer small kisses to her beloved. Squall began to return her kisses in earnest, while he dropped his hands and slid them up under her short hospital gown, lightly touching her bare skin.

"Oh, Squall," she moaned, as his soft caresses explored regions which had never before been touched by another.

Rinoa began to lightly probe her lover's mouth with her tongue, while he memorized the contours of her body with his cautious hands. Squall untied the loose sash, at the back of her hospital gown. He pulled it off her soft shoulders, allowing it to fall to the floor revealing Rinoa's completely unclothed figure.

Rinoa's breath quickened, when Squall stepped back to drink in every inch and aspect of her beauty with his eyes.

"No, Squall!" Rinoa protested, attempting to cover her surgical scars with her hands.

"What is it?" he gently inquired.

"I - these scars - I'm not pretty anymore," she cried out and began to softly weep.

Squall smiled and pulled her hands down. "No, you're not a pretty girl anymore," he agreed and, she looked at him with hurt in her eyes.

"You have become a beautiful woman instead. And each one of these is a beauty mark." He explained, as he dropped to his knees and lovingly kissed every wound. Rinoa began to squirm, as each one of his caresses caused a luscious tingling inside her body.

Also dropping to her knees, she took Squall's face in her hands and began to passionately kiss him again and again, as if she were attempting to savor his whole being completely.

Reaching down and untying Squall's robe, Rinoa quickly observed he wasn't wearing anything beneath it. She pushed the garment off him and down to the floor, leaving him in the same underdressed condition as she.

As Squall continued to kiss her fervently, Rinoa reached down and looked inquisitively at him. "It's all right, my love." He responded in a whisper, and she softly clutched his erection.

Squall gently embraced her and carefully pulled her down to the carpeted floor beside him. Drawing Rinoa tightly to him, Squall kissed her again and again while continuing to explore every nuance of her beauty with his passionate touch. He slightly changed his position, shifting his attentions from Rinoa's mouth to the silky skin of her neck, and then to her soft breasts, causing his lover to gasp in pure pleasure. Taking a nipple in his mouth, he suckled it tenderly while allowing a finger to gently slip into and explore her inner mysteries.

As he continued, Squall claimed Rinoa's lips again. This time it was with much more abandon, finally giving himself totally to the moment, in a tribute to his love and trust.

He then removed his hand, substituting for it with his fervent lips. His tongue gently explored the nuances of her virginity, until she was writhing on the floor in blissful ecstasty. Rinoa cried out, "Oh, Squall! I do love you so," as she experienced the apex of her climax.

Reaching down and pulling Squall up beside her, Rinoa murmured, slightly blushing all the while, "Oh, Squall, that was such a loving thing to do, but aren't you anxious to make love?"

"The doctor said no love making for at least a month, because of your surgery," he explained.

Rinoa reddened, shocked. "You were discussing our love making with Dr. Kadowaki?!"

"No, of course not," Squall replied. "She volunteered the information with a wink."

"Oh thank Hyne," Rinoa sighed. "I don't want anyone else knowing about our private life. I learned my lesson the hard way."

"So have I," agreed Squall, "But don't worry, I've heard the doctor is known for her discretion."

"You know, Dr. Kadowaki told me a strange thing," Rinoa continued. "She told me I was Star Crossed."

"Star Crossed?" echoed Squall. "What did she mean by that?"

"She said that people who are Star Crossed keep surviving narrow brushes with death their entire lives," Rinoa explained.

"Well, I guess that makes me Star Crossed also," Squall replied with a smile.

"Which would make us the Star Crossed Lovers," Rinoa murmured, cuddling even closer to Squall.

"Oh, you poor thing," Rinoa cooed into Squall's ear. "You're all dressed up with no place to go," she playfully said, while lightly stroking Squall's erection.

"Rinoa! What are you doing?" he exclaimed in surprise.

Looking up at him from his virility, where she had suddenly positioned herself, she smiled and replied, "Turn about is fair play, isn't it?" She then lowered her mouth slowly, softly and lovingly onto him.

A few minutes later, Squall and Rinoa lay in each other's arms, completely relaxed for the first time in months.

"I'll never let you go again," Squall promised.

"You'd better not," Rinoa warned with a mischievous grin, which took away all pretense of seriousness from her admonition, "or I might not save you the next time."

And then she fell silent, for he claimed her lips in a long and deep kiss. An unspoken vow had been sealed, stronger than any words could make it.

Friends, companions, lovers, and Star Crossed in more ways than they could ever fathom.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my very talented editor, Vick330, for who all praise is due for the great amount of time and hard work he put into helping me write as good a story as I possibly could.

Kudos to you, Vick, from the bottom of my heart. Bob. 


End file.
